Production of potable water and freshwater needs for human, animal and plants from hot and humid air

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods are disclosed for extracting freshwater from atmospheric humidity in extremely hot and humid climates and supplying freshwater to a small group of people, a building, a farm, or forestation area. The freshwater is treated to provide drinking water by disinfecting to eliminate microorganisms and filtration to remove suspended particulates from air, erosion or corrosion products, and disinfected waste. Compact units provide drinking water for individuals, passengers in cars, vans, trucks, or recreational boats, or crewmembers on a seagoing cargo ship whether from atmospheric humidity or from moisture-laden gases. Furthermore, systems are disclosed for the ample supply of freshwater with minimal treatment for small- to large-sized buildings in a manner that alleviates the heat load on buildings. Collection of freshwater from hot humid ambient air is also provided for other uses, such as irrigation and farm animal drinking. Various methods are used for condensation of water vapor suspended in the air as alternative to conventional refrigeration cycles using CFC refrigerants. Devices are disclosed using naturally occurring brackish cold water, circulation of cooling water cooled by thermoelectric cooling or thermoacoustic refrigeration as well as evaporative cooling and transpiration cooling. Water produced by the systems may flow under gravitational forces entirely or with the assistance of boasting pumps.

This application is a division of Ser. No. 09/810,541 filed Mar. 19,2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,979.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to harvesting freshwater fromatmospheric humidity in regions suffering from freshwater shortagecompounded with extended periods of extremely high temperature and veryhigh humidity to supply potable water as well as freshwater for otherhuman uses, irrigation, and animal and poultry farms and to alleviatethe heat loading for buildings. The invention also relates to collectionof water from moisture rich gases in situations of emergency and whentrusted freshwater is lacking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Extreme heat in tropical regions is usually accompanied by extremes ofhigh humidity, especially at low altitude where bayous, marshlands,swamps, shallow lakes, heavy vegetations, and forests are abundant;tropical islands, such as the Caribbean Islands; arid land and desertsnearby ocean shorelines or seashores; such as the regions in the ArabianPeninsula near the Red Sea and the Gulf. The absolute humidity inregions by and near the shores of oceans and seas could reach up totwenty-five (25) grams of water per cubic meter of air.

Generally, natural freshwater resources are scarce or limited in veryhot and humid deserts and arid lands due to low precipitation and highsalinity of surface and underground water. Heat strokes are also commonin areas where there is no shade and building material does not provideproper protection from brunt of the harsh climate. Rural and nomadiclife conditions are deteriorating due to environmental changes caused byexpanding developments elsewhere.

Shortage in supply of potable water and freshwater is increasing at avast rate, as deserts expand and overtake fertile land and as many ofthe natural ground water-resources are being depleted. Shift in patternsof the global climate throughout time resulted in a drop in the rate ofrainfall in many areas. Hunger and starvation is spreading in Africabecause of shortage of freshwater to raise domestic animals and cropsfor food.

Sparse population and scattered population pockets in many areas makethe application of water desalination and treatment technologiesuneconomical due to the law demand and the high cost of waterdistribution from a central system over a wide stretch of land.Transportation of loads of freshwater is costly and exposes water tocontamination en route and during handling and storage.

Accordingly, there is a need for localized production of fresh water toprovide water for human drinking and freshwater for raising animals andfor irrigation as well as other human uses. There is also need for meansto alleviate the heating load of dwellings for human and animal.

In addition, atmospheric moisture is an excellent natural source ofwater regardless of the amount of water vapor content of the air. Thelower layer of the atmosphere surrounding the earth contains over threetrillion (3×10¹²) cubic meter of renewable water, which is aboutone-thousandth (0.001) of the water stored on the surface of the earth.In comparison, the daily drinking water consumption of the earthpopulation is about two hundred twelve million cubic meter (2.12×10⁸),which is a very modest portion of the water entrapped in the atmosphere.That is, free atmospheric water accessible to all mankind on the earthcan satisfy all drinking water needs anywhere and anytime with a lot tospare for irrigation and raising farm animals. The atmospheric moisturereserve will not be depleted by excessive extraction of water since thewater vapor is continuously replenished by evaporation of surface waterand the surface of the mountains and valleys due to the flow of hot air.

Accordingly, there is a need for systems to harvest moisture entrappedin ambient air for provision of potable water for human and freshwaterfor agricultural uses including rearing of animal farms for food.

Additionally, many resorts and vacationing places are located in hothumid regions deprived from drinking water and freshwater since they areon spreads of arid lands by shorelines wherein groundwater is brackishand rainfall is rare. In spite of the popularity of those areas,construction of desalination plants to produce freshwater for touristsis not economically viable due to the briefness of the tourism seasonsand decline of demand most of the year. Reliance on bottled water isexpensive for the average consumer while this source will not providefreshwater for other uses.

Accordingly, there is a need for systems for local water production fromatmospheric humidity to supply fresh water to cabins, camping areas andtourist areas during tourism seasons in regions characterized by humidhot weather throughout the busy seasons. Systems compatible with touristregions should reduce expenditure on drinking water and provide excesswater for other human uses as long as the weather conditions areappropriate.

Travel across arid lands and deserts exposes travelers to shortage ofwater, or lack of trusted sources of water. Loading sufficient potablewater on land vehicles could be cumbersome and may be impossible in somesituations. Similarly, passengers on recreation boats or seagoing shipscan be exposed to the risk of water shortages during their excursions.

Accordingly, there is a need for portable freshwater producing systemsthat can supply freshwater and potable water on land vehicles andseagoing vehicles, utilizing available water resources, such asatmospheric humidity and moisture-laden exhaust gases from internalcombustion engines.

Installing large freshwater tanks over land vehicles for long tripsacross vast stretches of desert is impractical. Similarly, carryingsufficient freshwater supply or installation of desalination units orwater reuse units aboard large seagoing boats reduces cargo space andminimizes the benefit from surface areas on the boat and increases theload.

Accordingly, there is a need for lightweight and freshwater producingsystems characterized by small footprints that can supply freshwater andpotable water on large land vehicles and seagoing ships.

In situations of emergency, water supply systems may be contaminated orinterrupted by natural disasters or man made catastrophes and shortageof clean freshwater and potable water can lead to spread of diseases.

Accordingly, there is a need for mobile and portable water productionequipment that can supply non-contaminated freshwater and potable waterfor a small or larger group of people on temporary basis until the mainsupply of water resumes operation.

Thermoacoustic refrigeration engines have been developed and are in usein the US National Laboratories, the US Department of Energy and theNational Institute of Science and Technology, the US Department ofCommerce. The machines are currently used for crycooling in specialexperiments.

In recent years concerns with the ozone depletion and global warmingproblems have become additional focal points of the Heating VentilationAir Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) research programs.Approximately one-third of the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) consumed inthe U.S. are used in refrigeration and air-conditioning. CFCs areconsidered a major factor in ozone depletion and global warmingproblems. The changeover from CFCs to alternative refrigerants impactsequipment design and have a significant impact on energy use.

In the latest development in refrigeration, high-intensity sound wavesare used to create superhot gas molecules. The gas molecules transfertheir heat to inert coils and then expand and cool; effectively creatinga refrigerator that can be adjusted by a volume-control knob. Advantagesover conventional refrigerators include the elimination ofozone-destroying gases, reduction of components to a single moving part,and the ability to precisely control the cooling cycle. Thermoacousticcooling has been used in space shuttles, and it remains a future hopefor automobile air conditioners and refrigerators in homes and boats.Accordingly, intensive efforts are expended in application of suchcapabilities in development of air conditioning units for automobiles toreplace current devices that use Freon and other CFC refrigerants, whichare harmful to the environment. A thermoacoustic cooling device wasmanufactured to cool drinks in tin containers.

Harvesting the water carried by atmospheric moisture enhances theutilization of natural resources in areas of scarce water supply and inapplications where the transport of water poses a problem, such as thecase of potable water supply as well as in maintenance of trees andgreenery in tropical arid regions. The use of an environmentally benigncooling capability makes the exploitation of this water sourceattractive. Dependent on the amount of water needed the thermoacousticengine can be used indoors. Extraction of humidity from the air providescooling which can substitute for energy-intensive air conditioningsystems, since the effective temperature increases with the increase inhumidity of the air intake. A laboratory test of a thermoacousticcooler, 227 W of acoustic power was used to provide 419 W of usefulcooling power, corresponding to a coefficient of performance of 1.85.Taking into account the 54% electro-acoustic efficiency of theloudspeakers, the thermoacoustic cooler provided 1 W of cooling for eachwatt of electrical power input.

Accordingly, there is a need to develop systems that utilizeenergy-efficient environmentally benign thermoacoustic cooling toproduce freshwater from hot humid air for supply of potable water andfreshwater for different uses.

Harvesting of moisture from ambient air has been an old art. Twothousand years ago, the Nabatian Arabs, whose Kingdom embraced theNorthem part of Saudi Arabia, harnessed, stored and conveyed waterthrough an extensive system of public and private, wells, reservoirs,pipelines and channels. They gained fame for sophisticated hydraulicworks such as dams and water channels. For areas close to water bodies,they collected water from the atmospheric moisture using caves in themountains. The relatively warm air was allowed to pass through specialman-made openings carved in the rocks. The water vapor condenses on thecold walls and flows by gravity in conduits or grooves in the stonewalls. The produced fresh water is then collected by cisterns and storedin reservoirs below the collection areas. Near the Red Sea, theytunneled wide deep caverns under the mountains for condensation of watervapor carried by the air. Currently, there is a farm in that area, nearPetra, that quite successfully imitates the old ways.

A passive system being used from ancient times in desert regionsconsists of a massive beehive-shaped block of concrete or stone piercedwith many holes. A complex cycle involving radiation into the clearnight sky of the desert allowed small amounts of water to be recoveredfrom a very dry atmosphere. In tropical areas, such a device is veryproductive if the night sky is not often overcast.

Archaeologists have discovered that the ancient city of Theodosia,situated in one of the driest sections of Crimea, Ukraine, wasabundantly supplied with water 2,300 years ago by taking water from theair instead of the earth. A beehive structures on hill draws moisturefrom atmosphere and holds it in reservoir. Thirteen great heaps ofbroken limestone were loosely piled on a nearby hilltop. Ducts ledmoisture condensing from the air within these piles to the fountains ofthe city, and there is no record that they ever ran dry.

On the coast of Oman large cold surfaces were placed on the top of acoastal mountain ridge to collect water from the early morning watervapor.

Very low technological approaches have been utilized from the earliesttimes. For example, caverns near the Red Sea wherein dew and fog wouldcondense on the cool walls and be collected in “gutters” carved into thewalls. However, attempts to do this on a larger scale and/or with moremodem artificial cooling have not yet materialized on a wide scale.

A semi-active moisture/condensation system produces potable water simplyby sucking the air through an array of underground pipes plumbed intothe house's cold water system. The system is mounted in the basement orcrawlspace of an otherwise conventional home. The chill of the earthcauses sub-cooling of humid air entering the basement from grade level,condensing some of the moisture.

In St. Croix, the Virgin Islands, cold water was brought up from thedeep ocean, run through condensation coils to extract fresh water fromthe atmosphere. Then the nutrient rich seawater was used in anaquaculture system.

Prior art encompasses inventions that utilize chemical adsorbents toextract moisture from atmospheric air or moisture-laden gases to producefresh water or drinking water after appropriate treatment. The adsorbentis then regenerated and recycled for reuse. The use of adsorbents may benecessary in cases wherein insignificant amount of moisture is presentin the atmosphere whereas in the case of extremely hot and humidenvironments the use of chemicals seems to be a nuisance and wouldrequire additional steps for extraction of water and regeneration of thechemicals. In addition, such systems require technical care in operationand maintenance, unlikely to avail the people and areas in dire need forwater.

Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 1,816,592 discloses an aerial well comprising: adome-like, perforated shell of stone and mortar, with a thickness of 2.5to 3 meters to prevent the penetration of the sun's heat; a mushroomlike inner core of concrete, pierced with numerous ducts for thecirculation of air, a central pipe with its upper opening above the topof the outer dome. At night, cold air pours down the central pipe andcirculates through the core as shown in the diagram. By morning, thewhole inner mass is so thoroughly chilled that it will maintain itsreduced temperature for a good part of the day. Warm, moist outdoor airenters the Central chamber, as the daytime temperature rises, throughthe upper ducts in the outer wall. It immediately strikes the chilledcore, which is studded with rows of slates to increase the coolingsurface. The air chilled by the contact, gives up its moisture upon theslates. As it cools, it gets heavier and descends, finally leaving thechamber by way of the lower ducts. Meanwhile the moisture trickles fromthe slates and falls into a collecting basin at the bottom of the well.By this principle, it is possible to obtain as much as 22,710 liter ofwater daily for every 93 square meter of condensing surface. This patentwas implemented over half a century ago in southern France forextracting water from the air to irrigate fields and vineyards. Towering12 meters above a hilltop overlooking the little town of Trans-enProvence, the structure resembles nothing more than a monstrousbee-hive. Its grayish-white walls of stone are perforated with scores ofopenings. Warm outdoor air entering through these ducts issystematically stripped of its moisture by contact with the chillyinterior, much as dew condenses on a pitcher of ice water.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,312, for example, discloses a water producing airconditioning system comprising a water producing apparatus that adsorbsmoisture in the ambient air on an adsorbent or absorbent and evaporateswater adsorbed on the adsorbent or absorbent by heating it and condensessteam to obtain water. A heat exchanger exchanges heat between ambientair and hot dry air discharged from the water producing system duringadsorbing moisture on the adsorbent or absorbent. An evaporation-coolingsystem is used for forming a cold wet air by evaporating water andcooling it by contacting water with a dry air at the ambient temperaturepassed through the heat exchanger. The hot air heated by the heatexchanger or the cold air obtained from the evaporation-cooling systemis utilized for the air conditioning. The system can be used forcomfortable living in a severe condition such as a desert by theeffective combination of the evaporation-cooling apparatus with thewater-producing device utilizing high efficiency heat-exchange.Evaporative cooling was used in this disclosure as the main method forair-cooling, however evaporative cooling was not used, as an assistivemeans for supplementing cooling by convection of a cold-water steam wasnot mentioned.

In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,236 teaches an autonomous plantwatering device and a method for promoting plant growth for aridclimatic regions. The device includes an absorption cycle atmosphericvapor condensation unit that may be solar powered, to deliver water andaccumulate the collected water in a storage tank. The stored water issupplied to a subsurface, site-specific delivery system locatedintimately with a target plant. To assure growth enhancement, theapparatus utilizes fuzzy logic supervision provided with local sensingmeans and historical vapor pressure maps to control and predict waterusage while controllably supplementing the delivered water withnutrients and anti-transpirants as needed. The device disclosed by thispatent is used for site specific watering intimately incorporated withthe target plant, which is not the case with the present invention.

The aforementioned inventions and others that may fall under the samecategory do not relate to the present invention since they are based onthe use of adsorbents, desiccants and hygroscopic material, and mostlyaddress hot low humidity climate conditions; which is not of concern tothe present invention.

Heat pipes are used in some inventions to cool a condensing surfacebelow dew point to precipitate the water vapor from the atmosphere. Heatpipes are also used to control indoor environment. However, the presentinvention is not based on this type of technology exploitation andinventions.

Prior art has also encompassed processes that rely upon heat convectionin large structures and the control of the process to obtain freshwaterfrom atmospheric humidity. Tropical and subtropical regions having highambient temperatures and relative humidity can be locally subjected tocooling and dehumidification according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,132, by atower in which, upon a post or other vertically extending support, apair of vertically aligned spaced apart air guides are provided. Thelower air guide includes the cooler that can simultaneously condensemoisture from the air while the upper air guide can include a heatdissipater of a refrigeration cycle. The air guides are associated withblowers and inducing ambient air into the air guide at a locationbetween them and displacing the air through the air guides into heatexchanging relationship. The tower can also be used to collect potable(drinking) water by condensation from the atmosphere.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,552 describes a system for recovering atmosphericmoisture utilizing a wind driven electrical generator for powering amechanical refrigeration system for condensing atmospheric moisture. Aturbine is mounted on a housing forming an atmospheric duct. The turbineis driving a connected electrical generator. The refrigeration systemincludes an evaporator positioned in the atmospheric duct whereon watervapor is condensed. Electrical current is generated from wind to powerthe refrigeration system, which includes the evaporator. Atmosphericmoisture is condensed on the evaporator and collected.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,186 describes a device to extract useful energy andfresh water from moist air, with an associated removal of pollutantparticles entrained in the extracted water. The device comprises anenclosure with a tall stack and an extended base that has means for thecreation and utilization of a contained tomado, which is powered by theenergy release associated with the rapid condensation of water from theincoming moist air. This patent is based on atmospheric conditions thatdo not pertain to the present invention.

The above inventions that rely upon heat convection in large structuresin extraction of freshwater from the atmosphere and cooling ordehumidification of local open space do not relate to the presentinvention, which is based on processes that are mostly performed withinrelatively compact structures.

In contrast, very limited production of water for irrigation wasdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,599 that describes a method and adevice for automatically watering vegetation whereby the waterrequirement is constantly monitored. A cooled condensation surfaceselectively condenses water vapor out of the atmosphere and collects thecondensed moisture for application onto the soil containing vegetation.Various accessories are provided to automatically feed the vegetationand distribute water to the soil containing the vegetation. The deviceuses thermoelectric principles to provide the required wateringrequirements, however, the patent does not disclose a hand-held or aportable device for providing potable water during emergencies.

Domestic central air conditioning units used to cool homes or any otherbuildings operate in combination with air directing units that produce aquantity of waste condensate. The water formed by condensation taken outof the air was utilized in a lawn watering system that was disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 4,134,269. A device is designed for continually collectingthe waste condensate from the central air conditioning unit. The wateris stored in a holding tank. At a predetermined level in the tank, apump is switched on to deliver the water to a hose system in the lawn.The system intermittently and automatically distributes the condensatethroughout a region to be irrigated. The device comprises a holding tankfor collecting the waste condensate; a drainage conduit for directingthe waste condensate from the air conditioning unit to the holding tank;a depth sensing device is used indicating the level of the wastecondensate collected in the tank; a pump that is automatically turned onby the depth sensing device to pump collected waste condensate from theholding tank when the depth sensing device indicates that the level ofcondensate in the tank has reached a predetermined maximum andautomatically turned off by the depth sensing device when the depthsensing device indicates that the level of condensate in the tank hasreached a predetermined minimum thus allowing the condensate to refillthe tank to the predetermined maximum level; a discharge conduitassociated with the pump; and an irrigation system for directing thewaste condensate from the holding tank throughout the region to beirrigated.

Prior art on thermoacoustic cooling and refrigeration is concerned withdifferent types of design of the thermoacoustic-cooling engine. Examplesare, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,082 that describes a pin stack array forthermoacoustic energy conversion, U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,791 that disclosesa tapered fluid compressor and refrigeration apparatus, U.S. Pat. No.5,275,002 teaches a pulse tube refrigerating system, U.S. Pat. No.5,174,130 discloses a refrigeration system having standing wavecompressor, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,840 describes a cooling machine orheat pump having a thermoacoustic work system that has a heat source anda heat sink coupled with at least one thernoacoustic drive system oflike construction. In addition, an acoustic cryocooler with no movingparts is formed from a thermoacoustic driver driving a pulse tuberefrigerator through a standing wave tube was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,953,366. Only U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,243 discloses a compact acousticrefrigerator for cooling electronic components.

None of the prior art references benefit from thermoacousticrefrigeration or thermoelectric cooling using water as a cooling fluidto cool the condensation surfaces and provide potable water on a smallor large scale. In addition, the use of combinations of natural coldbrackish water, transpiration cooling and evaporation cooling tocondensate atmospheric humidity was not disclosed in prior art.

Furthermore, none of the prior inventions discloses devices or means forutilization of building architecture to provide an aestheticallyacceptable system to provide freshwater from hot humid outdoor ambientair while reducing the heat load on the structure. Integration of waterproduction from air moisture for human use, irrigation, or animal farmsand the environment is one of the unique features of the presentinvention.

According to the present invention, thermoacoustic refrigeration is usedto cool freshwater circulating in pipes and coils to cool condensationsurfaces of different topologies to temperatures below dew point toproduce freshwater and drinking water by condensation of water vaporfrom atmospheric humidity in high temperature and high humidityclimates. In a second aspect of the invention, devices for production offreshwater and drinking water use condensation of water vapor frommoisture-laden gases such as the exhaust of internal combustion engines.In a third aspect of the invention, thermoelectric cooling was used tocool freshwater for condensation of water vapor from hot humid gas tosupply a limited quantity of freshwater. In a fourth aspect of theinvention, cooled water and evaporation cooling were used to condensateand cool freshwater condensates from atmospheric moisture. In a fifthaspect of the invention, the water vapor condensation surfaces wereintegrated with building structures to produce ample quantities of waterfrom outdoor air and alleviate the heat loads. In a sixth aspect of theinvention, aesthetically accepted systems are provided for supplyingwater to animal farms and to forested areas. In a seventh aspect of theinvention, a modular system was provided for collection of water fromthe atmosphere using natural brackish water cooling supplemented bytranspiration cooling and evaporative cooling.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and aprocess for condensation of water vapor entrained in hot humid air byflat condensation plates surfaces of varying surface areas. Surfaceareas of the plates can be expanded from small limited areas to coverlarge wide areas dependent on the desired quantity of condensate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device forfreshwater production, using condensation surfaces that can condensatelarge quantities of water vapor per unit surface area, wherein specialcoatings are applied with some degree of surface roughness.

It is a third object of the present invention to provide a freshwaterproducing device using thermoacoustic cooling and parallelopipedsectioned condensation chamber to condense atmospheric humidity.

It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a freshwaterproducing device using thermoacoustic cooling and conical multi-layercondensation chamber to condense atmospheric humidity.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide athermoelectric device using cylindrical condensation chamber to condenseatmospheric humidity for supply of freshwater to a small group ofpeople.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide athermoelectric device using cylindrical condensation chamber to condenseatmospheric humidity for supply an individual with potable water.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a deviceand a process for producing cold potable water for a large number ofpeople using cold water to cool condensation fins in a cylindricalconfiguration as well as evaporative cooling.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide asystem for supply of freshwater to a building through condensation ofmoisture from outdoor ambient air by a condensating roof structure thatalso alleviates the heat loading on the living space.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide asystem of condensating surfaces attached to the exterior walls of abuilding for supply of freshwater through condensation of moisture fromoutdoor ambient air.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide asystem for supply of freshwater to a building through condensation ofmoisture from outdoor ambient air by condensating surfaces integratedinto the architecture of the building.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide adevice for supplying drinking water to poultry and farm animals producedfrom atmospheric moisture.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide anirrigation system blending with the surroundings for watering trees in aforested area produced from atmospheric moisture.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide amodular system for collection of freshwater from the atmosphere tosupply potable water for human and fresh water for irrigation anddrinking water for farm animals using natural cold brackish undergroundwater to cool condensation surfaces with the assistance of transpirationcooling and evaporative cooling.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide amodular system for collection of freshwater from the atmosphere tosupply potable water for human and fresh water for other human usageusing natural cold brackish deep cold seawater to cool condensationsurfaces with the assistance of transpiration cooling and evaporativecooling.

In a first embodiment of the invention, a thermoacoustic refrigerationengine continuously cools water circulating in a closed tube-coilarrangement by a water pump. The cooling water flows through a tubingand a set of coils in a plane configuration rigidly connected to a roughmetallic plate coated by a material that enhances drop-wise condensationof water vapor. By cooling the plates to a temperature below the dewpoint, heat exchange between the plates and the hot humid air naturallyflowing in contact with the surface of the plates strips the air fromhumidity and cools it. Condensate from water vapor condensating on thecold surfaces is collected as freshwater. The quantity of production offreshwater depends on the surface area of the plates, providing thetemperature of the surface is kept below the dew point. In principle,any quantity of water can be produced by scaling up the surface area ofthe plates. The footprint of the system can be reduced by stackingseveral plates and subjecting their coated surfaces to the prevailingwind or air moving direction.

The first aspect of the invention also relates to forcing the flow ofambient air to blow within the vicinity of and in intimate contact withthe cooled condensation surfaces. This is accomplished by placing thecondensation surfaces in a closed chamber wherein hot humid ambient airis blown by an air blower inside the chamber entering from one side andexiting from an opposite side.

In another embodiment of the first aspect of the invention thecondensation chamber is a two section elongated box with a largerectangular air entrance and a smaller rectangular air exhaust. Thecondensation surfaces are provided by thin wide fins placed on thecircumferences of the cooling coils. Condensate is collected by aconical funnel and pumped through a filter to a storage and supply tank.

In a different embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, thecondensation chamber is constructed from layers of concentric metallicsheets forming a cone wrapped with cooling coils. Hot humid air is drawnfrom the wide mouth of the chamber to force it through the narrow mouth.

The two-section rectangular box-shaped and the conical condensationchambers are used in the second aspect of the invention to condensatewater vapor from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine bydirecting the exhaust with a blower to the interior of the chamber inthe water producing device. In hot humid climates the moisture-ladenexhaust gas will be mixed by hot humid ambient air.

In the third aspect of the invention, hot humid air, engine exhaust or amixture of both is drawn through a condensation chamber containing aspiral of cooling coils as the condensation surfaces. In anotherembodiment of the third aspect of the invention, condensation isenhanced by placing fins on the circumference of the coils.

Cooling water is supplied by a thermoelectric cooler powered by a bankof chargeable batteries for a device that supplies a limited quantity offreshwater from condensate collected and filtered in a small storagetank.

A size of a device as small as a hiking canteen or a thermos to supplydrinking water in emergencies for one individual is provided in adifferent embodiment of the third aspect of the invention. The bottom ofthe device allows the attachment or screw of a cup or a small containerto fill it with filtered water for drinking. The cup can be thermallyinsulated or wetted for coolness of water.

In the fourth aspect of the invention, cooling freshwater produced by arefrigeration system is supplied by tubes and coils to a cylindricalcondensation unit formed from finned surfaces and coils. Thecondensation surfaces condensate atmospheric moisture to producefreshwater. Further cooling of the water leaving the condensation coilsis achieved by evaporative cooling. The collected condensate is storedin a tank wherein the water is treated by ozonation and filtered beforedispensation. The water flow is driven by pumps and controlled by valvesand water level sensors. In one of the embodiment of the fourth aspectof the invention, evaporation cooling is provided by a pot in the middleof the condensation unit wherein the cooling water terminates aftercooling the condenser and thus carrying the heat reject from the hothumid air. Other embodiments include using a small water tower, andplacement of the pot outside the condensation unit. The pots and thetower are fabricated from porous material such as ceramics or non-glazedclay. The evaporative cooling of water filled containers is caused bythe relatively dry cool air resulting from the heat exchange of thehumid hot air with the condensation surfaces. Cooling is provided bythermoelectric cooler. Alternately, thermoacoustic cooling or gasrefrigerants may be used.

In a different embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention, thesystem is used to provide separate large basins for irrigation water anddrinking water for farm animals. Untreated product water is drained ineach basin and nutrients and appropriate chemicals are added.

In the fifth aspect of the invention, water vapor condensation surfaceswere integrated with building structures to produce ample quantities ofwater from hot humid outdoor ambient air and to alleviate heat loadsfrom the hot humid weather and from the irradiation by direct sunrays.In one of the embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the roof iscovered by densely placed staggered metallic sheets having grooves witha slope leading to gutters and draining spouts to collect the condensateand direct it to a water distribution facility. Pipes of cooling waterare used to cool the condensation surfaces wherein water is circulatedby pumps and cooled by a thermoacoustic cooler. In a second embodimentof the fifth aspect of the invention, metallic sheets cooled by pipes ofcirculating cold water are placed on the external sidewalls in anarrangement that promotes condensation of water vapor from outsideambient air. The condensation sheets are aesthetically arranged to blendwith the building architecture. Conduits, pipes and spouts collectivelydirect product water to the distribution facility. The roof coverage andthe sidewall condensation sheets are combined to provide larger supplyof freshwater and more protection from the heat in a third embodiment ofthe fifth aspect of the invention. Natural cold-water sources may beused in place of thermoacoustic cooling wherever available.

In an embodiment of the sixth aspect of the invention, a system isprovided for supplying farm raised animals and poultry with drinkingwater, using thermoacoustic cooling engine to cool water for circulationin a vertically assembled cylindrical arrangement of water pipes withfins for condensating water vapor. Ambient hot humid air is directeddownward by air blowers to have an intimate contact with the surfaces ofthe fins. A shading cover protects the pipes from the sun and helpdirecting the hot humid air downward. The condensate is drained into acontainer at the bottom of the cylindrical assembly wherein nutrientsand solutions of preventive medicine are added to the drinking water.The water is then dispensed on demand to the farm animals or poultry.

The other embodiment of the sixth aspect of the invention provides asculpture of an artificial wooden tree with an outer surface made fromnatural bark for watering a forestation area. The artificial tree trunkis equipped with a thermoacoustic cooling engine, a storage tank, awater distribution system, and pipes for communicating cooling water tothe condensation surfaces provided by metallic wide leaves with thinbranching tubes for cooling. Fur-like fins cover the artificial leaves.The condensate collected from water vapor entrained in hot humid airdrains in the storage tank inside the trunk. Nutrients and chemicals areadded to the water as needed for health growth of the trees. The wateris distributed through buried plastic pipes that resemble the roots of atree to deliver water on demand to natural trees. The water supplysystem is located in a manner that allows free flow of hot humid airaround the leaves, and is aesthetically integrated with the wooded area.

In the seventh aspect of the invention, a modular system is provided forcollection of water from the atmosphere using natural cold brackishwater from a natural source such as a deep well, for coolingcondensation units formed from coils, plates and fins. The cooling wateris pumped to the top of an assembly of a stack of modular containers,manufactured from ceramics or metal covered with water absorbingmaterial. The cooling water flows downward by gravity outside thecontainers and through the coils. Hot humid air is blown inside thecontainers for condensation of the water vapor content and the productcondensate fall by gravity through the containers to a holding tank fortreatment and distribution of freshwater. The wetted containers arecooled by cold air driven through an air radiator causing evaporativecooling of the outside surface of the containers. When ceramiccontainers are used, transpiration cooling plays a supplementary role inthe cooling process. The number of containers depends on the quantity offreshwater required and the amount of coolness provided by the brackishwater. The product freshwater can be used for irrigation, for animaldrinking, or for production of potable water and other human usages.

In another embodiment of the seventh aspect of the invention, themodular system uses deep seawater as coolant to provide potable waterand freshwater aboard ships. For potable water supply proper watertreatment is necessary and is dependent on sources of pollution andcontamination of the air and the product water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a simple apparatus for condensation of water vapor from hothumid ambient air using a thermoacoustic refrigeration engine to producechilled water flowing through coils that cool an extended condensationsurface.

FIG. 2 a presents a comparison between drop-wise condensation and filmcondensation of water vapor on a vertical condensation surface.

FIG. 2 b presents a comparison between drop-wise condensation and filmcondensation of water vapor on a horizontal condensation surface.

FIG. 3 displays the configuration of a device for extraction of watercontent in hot humid gas whether the gas is air, an exhaust gas from aninternal combustion engine of a land vehicle or a seagoing boat, or amixture of air and exhaust gas using a prism enclosed condensationsurfaces cooled by a thermoacoustic refrigeration engine.

FIG. 4 shows a conical device similar to the device of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a thermoelectric device for condensation of water vaporentrained in humid air or gas

FIG. 6 shows a device similar to the device of FIG. 5 for supplyingdrinking water for one individual using water collected from humid airor gas.

FIG. 7 presents the structure of a system for production of cold potablewater from hot humid ambient air by condensation of water vaporentrained in hot humid air on surfaces cooled by freshwater combinedwith evaporative cooling.

FIG. 8 shows a modification of the system of FIG. 7, using evaporativecooling tower.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the system of FIG. 7, using anevaporative cooling pot located outside the cylindrical condensationconfiguration.

FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a system of corrugated cold surfacesfor condensation of humidity from hot humid atmosphere, whereincondensation surfaces are installed on the roof of a building in amanner that allows flow and distribution of freshwater and provision ofa protective cooling shield for the building.

FIG. 11 a shows a configuration of a system of corrugated cold surfacesfor condensation of humidity from hot humid atmosphere, whereincondensation surfaces are installed on the sides of a building in amanner that allows flow and distribution of freshwater and provision ofa protective cooling shield for the building.

FIG. 11 b shows the cooling and water production equipment of the systemof FIG. 11 a.

FIG. 12 shows the configuration of a system for production anddistribution of fresh water for animal and fowl farms, based on thesystem of FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 shows a system for production and distribution of fresh waterfrom hot humid air for animal and fowl farms, using thermoacousticcooling for water vapor condensation surfaces.

FIG. 14 shows a system for production and distribution of freshwaterfrom hot humid air for irrigation, using thermoacoustic cooling forwater vapor condensation surfaces.

FIG. 15 a shows a system for production of fresh water from hot humidair for irrigation or supply of drinking water aboard ships, usingevaporation cooling of salty water.

FIG. 15 b shows a cross-section of the air radiation component of thesystem of FIG. 15 a.

FIG. 15 c shows the method of connecting the units of the system of FIG.15 a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows the configuration and components of a simple apparatus forcondensation of water vapor from the atmosphere wherein a thermoacousticrefrigeration engine 700 is used to cool freshwater flowing through thetubing 701 directly connected and feeding a plurality of coils 702 inintimate contact with a flat condensation plate 703. The coils 702 maybe soldered to the flat plates 703. The water pump 704 drives the waterflow and circulates the cooling water in the combined tube 701 and coils702 path to provide and maintain continuous cooling of the plate 703. Asthe moisture-laden ambient air passes in intimate contact with the plate703, heat exchange takes place between the hot humid air stream and thecold surface and freshwater condensates drips down by gravity. Toenhance the rate of condensation, air may be blown across the surface ata slow speed and to prevent air stagnation by the surface in case ofcalm airflow. Air blowers blow a stream of hot humid ambient air acrossthe plate 703, in case of using the apparatus indoors or in a placewherein airflow is not sufficient. The amount of cooling, required tocondensate the moisture from the air, is small since the temperature ofthe condensating plate 703 has to drop only a few degrees under ambientair temperature to reach the dew point. The surface of the condensatingplate 703 must be rough, corrugated and may be covered with hair likefins to enhance condensation of water vapor. Preferably, a thin film ofsilicon or teflon or any other material of similar texture is used tocoat the condensating plate 703. The coating promotes drop-wisecondensation and prevent the formation of a thin water film on thesurface that could hinder the continuation of the condensation processas shown in FIG. 2 a, for a vertically oriented condensation surface andFIG. 2 b, for horizontal orientation of the condensation surface.

In FIG. 2 a, the vertical condensation surface 750 is smooth and wet andhence the moisture carried by the stream of hot humid air 751condensates forming a thin water film that flows down by gravity ascontinuous sheets of freshwater. In contrast, the condensation surface753 is coated with a layer 754 that promotes drop-wise condensation andhence water vapor condensates from the hot humid air 751 flow asdroplets 755.

In FIG. 2 b, the horizontal condensation surface 756 is wet and smoothand hence the hot humid air 751 condensates as a thin film 757 and flowsby gravity to water collector 758. In contrast, the horizontalcondensation surface 759 is coated with a layer 760 that promotesdrop-wise condensation and hence water vapor condensates from the hothumid air 751 as droplets 761 that drip by gravity to water collector758.

The condensation surface 703 of the apparatus of FIG. 1 is flexible toexpand as much as the space allows. In principle, the condensation ofany large quantity of freshwater is possible, since the quantity ofcondensate that can be collected from the air at any time isproportionate to the quantity of moisture entrained in the air and thecondensation surface area. However, the plate does not have to beconstructed as one continuous surface. Connected segments or modularunits can be used for production of large quantities of freshwater.

The formed condensate drips by gravity to accumulate freshwater where itcan be collected, treated by appropriate disinfection and filtrationmethods, then distributed and supplied to consumers as potable water orfreshwater.

FIG. 3 shows a compact device for condensation of water vapor entrainedin hot humid ambient air using a thernoacoustic engine 710 to coolfreshwater flowing in cooling coils 711 that provide cooling to rigidlyattached fins in the form of thin metallic plates 712. The fins 712enhance the heat transfer between hot humid air and the cooling surfacesand act as condensating surfaces as well. The coils 711 with the joinedfins 712 form a condensation unit contained in a two-sectioncondensation chamber in the form of a funnel-shaped jacket 713. Onesection is formed from a short prism with trapezoid sides, a widerectangular mouth as an inlet, and connected on the other side by anarrower rectangular outlet with the second section, which is a longrectangular parallelopiped. The jacket 713 draws hot humid air 714 atthe wide mouth inlet 715 by a suction fan. The hot humid air movesthrough the two sections of the chamber passing by the condensationsurfaces and leaves the narrow outlet of the jacket 713 free fromatmospheric humidity while the condensate drips by gravity to a funnelcollector 716. The open collector 716 will assist in removing anyvolatile organic particulates. The collected water is treated by thefiltration unit 717 to remove suspended particulates. The productfreshwater is then stored in a tank 718. Unit 717 may include adisinfection stage if potable water is required. However, in situationsof emergency, simple filtration can be sufficient if the water intake isfor a limited time only.

In another embodiment, FIG. 4 shows the configuration of an apparatusfor condensation of water vapor entrained in hot humid ambient air usingconical condensating chamber 720 constructed from concentric metalliclayers of condensation surfaces. A thermoacoustic engine 721 cools thewater in the coil 722 that surrounds the conical condensating chamber720. Hot humid air rushes at the narrower mouth of the cone 720 underthe effect of a suction fan 723, that draws the hot humid air to thewider mouth outlet, leaving behind the water vapor that condensates onthe condensating layers. The condensate drips down by gravity in the bigmouth funnel collector 724. The collected water flows to a filtrationunit 725 and then to a storage tank 726.

The components of the condensation devices of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 arelightweight and small compared to any other devices of similarcapacities, using other refrigeration cycles. Thermoacoustic engineshave no fast rotating mechanical equipment. The device, however, hasblowers and fans to drive the air over the condensation surfaces. Whenpumps are needed to drive the flow of water in large systems, onlybooster bump are required. This makes the arrangements ideal for waterproduction from moisture-laden gases. Examples are the water-vapor richexhaust of automobiles, vans, trucks and boats or a combination of humidair and exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. The size of thedevices can be made very small so that the condensating chambers can befitted to the exhaust system of a vehicle to collect freshwater,providing appropriate filtration of the exhaust is used. Furthermore,reduction of the condensation surfaces and plates makes it possible toconstruct devices of limited capacity to provide a single person, twopeople or more with drinking water.

The apparatus of FIG. 5 uses thermoelectric cooling in condensation ofatmospheric humidity. Thermoelectric chillers and cooling devices areproduced by Thermoelectric Cooling America Corp.™ (TECA), Chicago, Ill.;Melcor Corp.™, Trenton, N.J.; Tellurex Corp.™, Traverse City, Mich.;Farrar Scientific™, Raleigh, N.C.; Supercool U.S., Inc.™, San Rafael,Calif.; or any equivalent.

Hot humid ambient air enters from an inlet 730 by the action of asuction air fan 735 located at the outlet duct 734. The water pump 731circulates the cooling water through a thermoelectric cooler 732. Thecooling water circulates through the condensation spiral coils 733 tocondensate the water vapor entrained in the hot humid ambient air as itpasses in contact with the condensation surfaces. The coils may befitted with thin fins to enhance heat exchange with the hot humid air.The condensate drips by gravity through the bottom of the apparatusafter treatment and filtration by treatment unit 736. In case of supplyof emergency water, no treatment is required other than filtration. Thewater production apparatus is powered by a bank of chargeable batteries737.

All the components of the apparatus can be packed inside a relativelycompact container 738. Accordingly, the apparatus can be constructed ata reduced size and capacity to provide potable water sufficient for thedaily supply of one person as shown in FIG. 6, wherein the waterproduction apparatus is attached to the top of a thermos, canteen orthermally insulated cup 740 which can be strapped to the apparatus witha belt 741. When the container 740 is filled, it can be released for useof the potable water or replaced by another. A spongy cloth can be usedto wrap the container 740 to cool the water in the container byevaporative cooling.

The thermoelectric apparatus of FIGS. 5 and 6 are ideal for collectingwater from the exhaust of internal combustion engines in case ofemergency providing appropriate filtering of the exhaust moisture-ladengases is used to eliminate sod and organic and inorganic particulates.

The water production process of FIG. 7 starts with filling the thermallyinsulated collection tank 800 and the thermoelectric water cooler 801with a priming charge of freshwater. The outside surface of the tank 800is padded with thermal insulation material in a manner sufficient forthe water inside to keep its cold temperature all the time. Thethermoelectric water cooler 801 cools the cooling water of thecondensation unit 804 to a few degrees below ambient temperature sincethe temperature of the condensation surfaces need to be maintained justbelow dew point of the air moisture.

In the implementation of this aspect of the patent, the stainless-steelwater chiller 801 is a commercial water cooler manufactured by CanaletasS.A.™, Barcelona, Spain and modified by Advanced ThermoelectricProducts™, Nashua, N.H., USA. Other drinking water coolers may be used;for example Koolatron™, Rochester, England UK, Pure Earth Technology™,Marietta, Ga., USA, or equivalent. In addition, coolers that use aconventional CFC cycle such as freon may be used, such as Oasis™,Columbus, Ohio, or Larco, Inc.™, Harrisville, N.H., USA; Sunroc Gas™,Maryland, USA, Tianjin Tahoe Cooler™, Tianjin, China, or any equivalent.

The condensation process does not start until the priming water chargeis cooled in the cooler 801. At that time, water is drawn from thecooler 801 by a pumping unit 802 combining a plurality of a switch,valve, and water pump of appropriate capacity. The water valve 803 isactuated to direct the flow of the cold water to the coils of thecylindrical condensation unit 804 to condensate the incoming hot humidambient air.

The water valve 803 allows water to flow either to the unit 804 or tothe storage tank 811. When the temperature and relative humiditymeasured by the sensor 805 are such that the specific humidity dropsunder a level at which condensation of moisture from the air becomesuneconomical the interrupter 806 interrupts the power supply to stop theair fan 808. The signal from the sensor 805 opens the valve 803 todirect the flow to the storage tank 811, and switch the pumping unit 802to pump water to the storage tank 811.

The air fan 808 draws hot humid air from the atmosphere from the sidesof the unit 804 in the direction of the coils such that the incoming airloses its moisture by heat transfer with the cold fins and coils of unit804. As the hot humid air gets cooler and drier, it moves up passing bythe porous pot 809 located at the center of the coils in its way to theair outlet of the unit 804.

The cold water driven by the pump 802 and flowing through the coils ofunit 804 terminates into the porous pot 809 through its open mouth asrelatively warmer water. The pot is a specially shaped and fabricatedfrom porous non-glazed baked clay or ceramics. Ceramic pots arepreferred for their durability. The porosity of the pot inducesevaporative cooling of the water contained inside, as it flows throughthe pot, by the drier air flowing upward. Evaporative cooling reducespower consumption (in terms of kWh per liter of produced freshwater) inthe cooling process that adjusts the temperature of the cooling water.

The dripping of condensate from the coils of unit 804 and pot 809 aswell as the water from the pot drain to the bottom of unit 807 and fallby gravity to a preliminary filter 810 down to the collection tank 800.Accumulated cold water in the tank 800 flows to the cooler 801, or canflow directly to the storage tank 811 through valve 803.

The preliminary filter 810 removes any suspended dust, fine sand orsuspended particulates. The filter 810 is a column combining activecarbon and ion exchange resin. In the implementation of this aspect ofthe invention, a Britta™ filter, or equivalent may be used. This type offilter is commonly used at home for tap water purification for drinkingand use in preparation of food and drinks. Among the commercial filtersthat can be used are those produced by Omni™, Pûr™, and Rubber Maid™,USA.

In special cases wherein ultrapure water is needed two ion exchangecolumns may be used one for cation-exchange and another for anionexchange to eliminate negative as well as positive ions. The length ofthe residence time in the filtration unit is such that the water willhave enough time for effective filtration.

The water in the storage tank 811 is disinfected by ozonation to oxidizemicroorganisms. The ozonation is most effective in cold water and asmall quantity of ozone will be required for disinfection. The ozonegenerator 812 feeds ozone to the tank 811 through the stone outlet 813that releases and distributes ozone throughout the stored water.

Ozone generators and ozonators of different capacities are commerciallyavailable and can be customized to the application according tospecifications. Ozonators are produced by Ozomax™, Montreal, Quebec,Canada; Water Ozonator™, Sota Instruments™, British Columbia, Canada;and Ozoteck™, Yreka, Calif., USA, or any equivalent. Active carbonfilters are produced by Rubberrnaid™, Cameron Carbon, Inc.™, Baltimore,Md.; or Hermotz™ filter, Plymouth, Minn., USA or any equivalent.

Drinking water is dispensed through the faucet 814 which actuates anon-demand pump 815 that pumps water from the storage tank 811 through anactivated carbon filter 816 to remove suspended particulates,contaminants and oxidized waste from the ozonation process; from thewater before use. To avoid cavitation of the pump 815, a float sensor817 is used to interrupt the dispensing operation when the tank 811 isempty or below a certain level by shutting off the pump 815 and theozone generator 812.

The length of the residence time in the disinfection and filtrationprocesses is such that the water will have enough residence time in theunits for effective disinfection and filtration.

The pump 815 is manufactured by SureFlo™, Browly, West Sussex, UK or anyequivalent. When all faucets are locked and no drinking water is drawn,the pressure in the system rises and the pump 815 stops. This featureincreases the lifetime of the pump and stretches its use. The pump 815operates on twelve volt and continuous current and hence it is connectedto a current transformer to step down the voltage from 110 Volt or 220Volt continuous current to 12 Volt continuous current. The transformeris supplied by Bicron Electronics™ or any equivalent. At the start ofoperation 10 amperes are needed, however as the operation starts, only 6volts are required for operation. It is necessary to stop the pump 815when the tank 811 is empty, otherwise the pump 815 will continueoperating at no load until enough water fills the tank 811 which maytake long time if the ambient air is mild and has low humidity. Stoppingthe pump at that time will reduce power consumption and increases theuseful life of the pump.

Since the condensate collected from the atmosphere is free from usefulminerals and has characteristics similar to distilled water in purityand tendency to react with the surfaces of water passages, mineraladdition may be necessary to provide the nutrition value of naturalwater and to prevent chemical reactions with the containers.

In subsequent operations of the system, the priming charge is notnecessary and water from the storage tank 811 can be pumped back to thecollecting tank 800. This is needed when the weather changes, and thecondensation process is stopped and the cooler 801 is depleted of water.

The pot 809 may be replaced by a small cooling water tower 820 as shownin FIG. 8. The water tower 820 may be constructed from porous non-glazedbaked clay or ceramics to provide additional evaporation surface tofurther cool the warm water leaving the cooling coils if unit 804.Alternately, construction of the water tower 820 from galvanized metalwill provide cooling by convection. Use of plastics will provide coolingby evaporation as well as convection. However, porous ceramics wouldprovide the most cooling.

Alternately the pot 809 may be located outside the unit 804 as shown inFIG. 9. This will allow dry air to freely flow outside the system. Inthat case, the relatively cool air may be directed to cool a closedspace such as the interior of a tent or cabin.

In FIG. 10, a system is provided for production of water fromatmospheric humidity appropriate for integration with the architectureof the structure of a building such as a small commercial building, aresidence or home. The roof of the building is covered with a layer ofcorrugated condensation sheets 900 tilted to one sides of the roof toallow runoff of condensate. The condensation sheets 900 are made ofsections of rough surfaced conductive non-corrosive material and can beplaced on a flat top roof if it is supported in a manner that provides asteep slope on one side or on both sides as used in ranch-style homes.The condensation sheets 900 are cooled by cold water circulating intubes attached to the bottom.

The corrugated structure provides grooves for condensate collection, andis connected to troughs and gutters that drain into one pipe 901 thatpours the collected water in a tank 902 by a sidewall of the house. Thepipe 901 can be directed to a tank inside the house. Alternatively, thewater can be pumped from the tank 902 to a storage tank over the roof ofthe house.

Hot humid ambient air flows by natural convection carried by prevailingwinds. Orientation of the roof in a manner that allows the sweeping airto move from the low side to the top of the condensation surfacestructure would provide longer residence time and closer contact betweenthe air and the surfaces. As air contacts the cold surfaces, water vaporis condensated on the surfaces and the condensate is slowly drainedthrough the gutters. The maximum freshwater production will be thehighest during early mornings and throughout high humidity nights. Thehigh temperature of the direct sun radiation will heat the surfaces inthe middle of the day and very little of water vapor will be condensatedif any at all, since any condensate will be immediately evaporated andlifted by the passing air unless the air in the vicinity of the roofreaches saturation. Nevertheless, a quantity of water will be collectedduring hours of low solar radiation, especially during the night whereinnocturnal cooling takes place and the surface radiates to the open sky.The quantity of freshwater produced depends on the extent of thecondensation surface, the surface area of the roof and the averageabsolute humidity present in the air.

To enhance nocturnal cooling, a shallow water basin may be constructedunder the condensation roof In addition, the condensation sheets may beconstructed from plastic impregnated with conductive copper chips orfrom porous light color ceramic shingles. The water basin can be asource of hot water during the day if freshwater is circulated in thebasin.

Sufficient freshwater can be produced by cooling the condensationsurfaces with cold brackish ground water, if available. In this case,cold water is pumped to a plurality of coils connected to the bottom ofthe condensation sheets 900.

A high flow of product freshwater can be achieved using a thermoacousticrefrigeration engine to cool freshwater for circulation in pipes andcoils connected to the condensation layers 900. Cooling the surfacesjust a few degrees under the dew point will continuously condensate thewater on the cold surfaces and the water will be drained fast enoughbefore evaporation which does not easily occur in high humidityenvironment regardless of the rise in atmospheric temperature.

Thermoelectric refrigeration may also be used to supply coolness to the.condensation surfaces, however the effectiveness will depend on the sizeof structure to be cooled. While thermoelectric refrigeration is idealfor small configurations, thermoacoustic refrigeration is preferred forlarge systems.

The tank 902 can be constructed as a water unit for supply of potablewater by providing a water treatment facility for disinfection andfiltration and dispensation of the drinking water. Disinfection can beachieved by ultraviolet radiation if the amount of production is limitedotherwise chlorination and ozonation are preferred for the water storedin the tank. Filtration can be done when dispensing of the potablewater. In addition, a pre-filtration stage may be useful for the waterbefore it reaches the tank 902 and can be attached to the end of thespout of the pipe 901.

An alternate implementation of the invention is shown in FIG. 11 a,wherein vertical condensation sheets 910 cover the external walls of thebuilding unit with cooling water pipes distributed between the wall andthe condensation sheets 910. The condensate from water vapor accumulatesin the water unit 911 and then is treated and supplied to the residentby the distribution unit 915. The surfaces have to accommodate foropenings in the structure, such as windows and doors and become anintegral part of the architecture.

The components for the water preparation components are shown in FIG. 11b that include condensation surfaces 912, cold-water coils 913, thewater treatment unit 914 and the distribution unit 915.

The sidewall arrangement is preferred over roof top condensation due tothe ability to avoid direct solar radiation all day around to all thecondensation surfaces. However, proper orientation of the surfaces tominimize the solar radiation flux is only possible in new housingconstruction. The coolness of the condensation surfaces is provided inthe same manner as in the case of the roof structure.

The arrangement of sidewall condensation of FIG. 11 and roofcondensation of FIG. 10 collection can be combined to provide high rateof freshwater production. The exact arrangement of the combinedstructure will vary according to the requirements of the owner of thebuilding and the architecture's creativity. In the combined architecturethe assemblage of the condensation surface can provide aesthetic effectsas well as coolness inside the building.

The system of FIG. 12 includes an adaptation and modification of thewater production unit of FIG. 9 for providing drinking water for grazinganimals, and animal and poultry farms. Most treatment and coolingcomponents are eliminated and a large tank 820 with dispensationcapabilities is added to provide ample supply of water when the needrises with climatic changes such as rise in ambient temperature.

In FIG. 12, a provision is also provided for adding nutritional materialto the water supply from a hopper 821 to be dispensed by a dosing pump822.

The function of the cooler 823 is limited to chilling the cooling waterfor condensation to maintain the temperature of the condensationsurfaces below the dew poing. The insulated tank 800 and the pot 809will assist in maintenance of cold temperature of the cooling water.Dependent on the capacity of the system, the cooler 823 can be cooled bythernoacoustic or thermoelectric refrigeration. Furthermore, the cooler823 can be replaced by a large porous ceramic jar and other means topromote cooling by evaporative, perspiration or transpiration cooling.Alternately the system can utilize cold ground water if available ascold brackish water.

Furthermore, the system of FIG. 12 can be implemented to providefreshwater for irrigation providing the system relies completely onevaporation cooling or on cold brackish ground water to be costeffective in collecting water from the atmosphere. This will depend onthe climate conditions in the area to be cultivated and the waterrequirements for irrigation.

In this case, easy to dissolve fertilizers or plant nutrients can bemixed with the produced freshwater.

Furthermore, wind energy or solar energy can be used in supplying powerfor operation of the system, if used for irrigation, in place ofexpensive electric power that may not be easily accessed in the regionof implementation, which may be deprived of water and power resources.The use of such alternative energy sources depends on the solarinsolation and the frequency and speed of the prevailing wind in theregion. The system can operate continuously day and night without theconsumption of much power. Furthermore, the coolness can be stored inrocks for use in cooling of the condensation surfaces.

The system shown in FIG. 13 is designed for providing drinking water foranimals and poultry, wherein the thermoacoustic cooler 830 produceschilled water that circulates in cold water pipes 831 to cool the finnedsurfaces of a condensation cylinder 832. The condensate accumulates onthe fins and drops by gravity to a container 833 where the drinkingwater is dispensed by the spout 834 to the drinking basin 835. The hothumid air is blown by the air fan 836 close to the fins of thecondensation cylinder 832. The top cover 837 is provided to protect thechilled water pipes 831 from the direct sun radiation during the day andto help in directing the stream of hot humid air through in contact withthe condensation surfaces 832.

Nutrients and medicinal chemicals can be added to the container 833 orto the basin 835 in doses proportionate to the water consumption rate.The system is of modular nature and can be constructed in differentlocations in a poultry farm. Alternately water can be produced at mainlocations and distributed to basins for providing drinking water tosmall groups of chicken or to stalls for use by animals. The drinkingsystem can be integrated into the structure of a poultry farm or a barnin a manner compatible with the layout.

For watering of trees using water from atmospheric humidity, the systemof FIG. 14 is specially provided to assure efficiency in the use ofirrigation water and to provide aesthetic appeal. The system isconstructed to blend with natural trees growing within the vicinity ofthe water supply system and hence is shaped in the form of an artificialman-made vascular tree and is manufactured from wood. A hollow treetrunk may be used as the main component. The artificial trunk is coveredwith bark from natural trees.

The system is formed by wide leaflike condensation surfaces 851; runningthrough it cooled branching tubes 852 similar to leaf vessels. Thecondensation surface 851 is designed to expose the surfaces to the hothumid air stream for condensation of the water vapor entrained in thehot humid ambient air. The water-cooling unit 853 is placed at the topof the treelike trunk to supply cold water to the condensation surfaces851. The condensate falls by gravity and accumulates at the bottom partof the trunk in a tank 854 or at the distribution point 855. Fertilizerscan be added to the water in the tank 854 or at the point ofdistribution 855, which feeds a distribution system that supplies waterto the roots of the trees around. The extent of piping and the number oftrees to be watered by one system depends on the water requirements ofthe specific trees and the quantity of water that can be condensated ineach unit.

FIG. 15 a shows the components of a modular system using a combinationof natural convection water-cooling, transpiration cooling andevaporative cooling for harvesting water from atmospheric humidity. Thesystem is suitable for seashore regions and areas with abundantunderground water resources that provide relatively cold brackish wateror water containing high dissolved solids contents and not suitable fordrinking. Simpler versions of the system are appropriate for productionof potable water on seagoing vessels or small islands in the middle ofthe sea.

Each condensation module or stage 860 is in the form of a pot with twodifferently shaped necks. A narrow neck 861 of one pot can tightly fitinto the opening of the wider neck 862 of another to form a stack ofpots. The two necks can be locked into each other.

In one embodiment, the pot is fabricated from a porous ceramic material,while the interior wall is covered with a thin metallic layer. The potcan be also fabricated from metal for durability with a layer of porousmaterial covering the outer surface. The pot is coated by a materialthat can absorb water and to the saturation level, such as paddedcotton, wool, sponge, corrugated cellulose or natural animal skin(untreated leather) with a surface of thick hair. Inside each container,there is a set of coils and metallic condensation surfaces 863 with finsto promote heat exchange between the hot humid air and the cooledcondensation surfaces.

After locking each pair of pots, the necks are tied up with a strongchoker 864 that can be fabricated from leather or metal, strapped by astrap 865 connected to an air radiator 881 that surrounds the stackedpot assembly, as shown in FIG. 15 b. The air radiator is constructedfrom a hollow cylinder with wide orifices to allow the flow of air frominside to outside, as shown in FIG. 15 c.

The operation of the system involves drawing brackish water from anatural water source using the pump 870 that pumps the water into thepipe 871 and sprays it over the outer skin of the pots with the sprayer872 to dampen the porous surface and the coating to saturation. Thesprayed water falls by gravity to the disposal basin 873 where it canreturn to the open sea or to the well.

Upon saturation of the porous surfaces with water, the water evaporatesby heat transfer between the relatively dry air surrounding the outersurfaces of the pots resulting in cooling of the interior of the pots860 as well as the condensation surfaces and fins 863. The hot humid airis blown inside the pot assembly by the air blower 880 located at thetop of the assembly. The water vapor entrained in the hot humid aircondensates as it strikes the cold fins 863. This process takes place instages, as the hot air enters and gets cooler and dryer, the colder air,flows down the assembly. At the pot in the bottom of the assembly, airis directed by the duct 862 to flow upward through the air radiator 881.The condensate forming in the interior surfaces of the pots dripsthrough the drain 890 to a storage tank 891, where freshwater can bedispensed by the water pump 892 for distribution through the dispenser893. To avoid cavitation, the pump 892 is controlled by the level meter894 and the switch 895 to operate only when sufficient water level isachieved in the tank 891.

In a different embodiment, the pots are fabricated from porous ceramics.The porosity of the interior as well as the exterior promotestranspiration cooling through the outer skin of the pots. This will addto the cooling effect produced by evaporation cooling and promotecondensation of the water vapor from hot humid air on the surfacescontained in the pot.

When the system of FIG. 15 is used for irrigation, several units can beinstalled with multiple pots and distributed in the field in a mannerthat maintains aesthetics of the region.

For application in providing potable water aboard a seagoing ship, deepseawater is used for cooling. The number of pots will depend on thewater requirements and the effluent of the seawater can be returned tothe open sea, since it is not subject to any contamination. However,disinfection and filtration of the product freshwater is necessary priorto use. Ozonation in this case is the preferred means of disinfection.

While the present invention has been described with references toseveral embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallydescribed herein without departing from the spirit or the scope ofinvention. It is, therefore, to be understood that the spirit and scopeof the invention be limited only by the appended claims.

1. A portable device for collecting freshwater from hot moisture-ladengas and supplying potable water to a limited number of passengers on atransport vessel, said device comprising: inlet means for directing thehot moisture-laden gas inside a chamber; a filter for essentiallyeliminating solid particulates contained in the hot moisture-laden gasbefore the hot moisture-laden gas enters into said chamber; outletpassage means for discharging dry gas from said chamber after moistureis removed from the hot moisture-laden gas; an air fan for drawing thehot moisture-laden gas from said inlet means through said chamber aninto said outlet passage means; a thermoelectric cooler for cooling acirculating stream of cold freshwater; a plurality of spiralcondensation coils for condensing moisture from the hot moisture-ladengas when the hot moisture-laden gas comes into contact with saidplurality of spiral condensation coils to produce drippings ofcondensate that fall by gravity from the surfaces of said plurality ofspiral condensation coils; a water pump for circulating the stream ofcold freshwater through said plurality of spiral condensation coils;condensate collection means for collecting a freshwater product from thedrippings of condensate that fall from the surfaces of said plurality ofspiral condensation coils; treatment means for disinfecting andfiltering the freshwater product to produce potable water; potable waterholding means for storing said potable water; dispensing means fordrawing said potable water from said potable water holding means; andpower supply means for supplying electric power to said device.
 2. Theportable device of claim 1, wherein said hot moisture-laden gas is highhumidity, high temperature ambient air.
 3. The portable device of claim1, wherein said hot moisture-laden gas is a mixture of high humidity,high temperature ambient air and exhaust from an internal combustionengine.
 4. The portable device of claim 1, wherein said hotmoisture-laden gas is the exhaust from an internal combustion engine. 5.The portable device of claim 1, wherein said power supply means is adiesel generator.
 6. A portable device for collecting and supplyingfreshwater from moisture-laden air and being sized to be transported bya single individual, said portable device comprising: inlet means fordirecting high humidity, high temperature ambient air inside a chamber;outlet air passage means for discharging dry air from said chamber aftermoisture is removed from the high humidity, high temperature ambientair; an air fan for drawing air from said inlet means through saidchamber and into said outlet air passage means; a thermoelectric coolerfor cooling a stream of substantially cold freshwater; a plurality ofspiral condensation coils for condensing moisture from said highhumidity, high temperature ambient air as the high humidity, hightemperature ambient air comes into contact with said plurality of spiralcondensation coils; a water pump for circulating the stream ofsubstantially cold freshwater through said plurality of spiralcondensation coils; condensate collection means for collecting afreshwater product produced from the drippings of condensate that fallfrom the surfaces of said plurality of spiral condensation coils;filtration means for filtering said freshwater product to producepotable water; potable water holding means for holding said potablewater for dispensing; and a battery for supplying electric power to saidportable device.
 7. The portable device of claim 6, wherein said potablewater holding means comprises: a container for drinking of potablewater; said container having a top surface and a bottom surface; andattachment means for attaching said top surface of said container to thesaid filtration means to allow the water to flow into said container bygravity.
 8. The portable device of claim 7, wherein said container alsocomprises a canteen having an insulating layer for maintaining thetemperature of the water contained in said canteen.
 9. The portabledevice of claim 7, wherein said container comprises thermos.
 10. Amethod for producing freshwater and potable water from the atmospherichumidity in very hot and humid climates and supplying the freshwater andpotable water to at least one individual, said method comprising thesteps of: producing electric power from a rechargeable battery bank;pumping freshwater through a thermoelectric cooler for cooling thefreshwater and circulating cold freshwater through a plurality of spiralcondensation coils for condensing water vapor entrained in highhumidity, high temperature ambient air; drawing the high humidity, hightemperature ambient air from the atmosphere and forcing the highhumidity, high temperature ambient air to flow into contact with saidplurality of spiral condensation coils and then discharging the highhumidity, high temperature ambient air into the atmosphere; collectingcondensate as a freshwater product; filtering collected freshwater;dispensing the filtered water into a separate container for drinking;and insulating the drinking cup to maintain the water temperature.